The Downton Ladies
by bookcentral
Summary: FIve Downton ladies (Lady Mary, Lady Edith, Dowager Countess Violet, Lady Rose MacClare, and Lady Grantham) are facing numerous challenges. Secrets will be kept, mysteries will be figured out and arguments will occur. These five ladies will of course help each other but they have their own worries. This is a story of commotion: after all, isn't that what Downton Abbey is about?
1. Chapter 1

The Downton Ladies

Disclaimer:

Julian Fellowes created the Downton Abbey TV series and I have no ownership over any official characters, places, names, or plots that were originally from the Downton Abbey show.

Authors Note:

This is a brand new Downton Abbey fan fiction I am writing about several ladies from Downton Abbey. I have never written a fan fiction for Downton Abbey so I hope you enjoy! Each chapter will be about one lady from this show. After there has been a chapter for each lady I plan to write about, I may do another chapter of certain already-written-about downton ladies unless the previous chapters prove to be sufficient. This isn't a straight to follow-up to the last Downton Abbey episode but it might connect in some ways to other episodes.

PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SHOW SPOILED FOR YOU

Enjoy!

...

LADY MARY CRAWLEY

A pair of black high-heels took turns going in front of the other as Lady Mary Crawley made her way to Downton's majestic library.

When she reached it, she found the Dowager Countess of Grantham sitting on one of the couches.

"Granny, what are you doing here? Papa told me that you'd be arriving after luncheon," Lady Mary said.

"My dear girl, there are a great deal of things your father can do but predicting when or where I will be going is not one of them," Violet said.

Mary nodded, "I'm sure. So why have you come then?"

"Robert told me that Cora has taken ill and I wanted to to check on her," Violet said in her usual high-pitched, shrill, quivery voice.

Mary raised her brows, "Yes, Mama is slightly ill but it isn't at all your style to come all the way to Downton because of a slight fever."

"You know me better than I thought. I brought someone, a young gentleman actually. His name is Mr Blake," Violet said.

"Mr Blake? Why on earth did you bring him?"

"We happened to have met in town and he asked if I could arrange for him to come over for luncheon and I agreed. I've already told Robert"

"Where is he?"

"He's talking with Robert in the drawing room. I came here to find you, Robert told me you'd be here"

"That's right, I wanted to sit down for a bit. Well I think I'll go see Mr Blake now and see what he wants," Mary said with a small sigh and with that, she strode out of the library.

...

Teacups clinked and Lord Grantham, Lady Cora, Lady Edith, Tom Branson, Lady Mary, the Dowager Countess of Grantham and Mr Blake engaged in a small conversation.

"I came to discuss the death of a Mr Bricker, I heard of it from Tony Gillingham when I last met up with him. He says he heard from one of his friends about the death and he had said that your family knew him," Mr Blake explained. "I also came to visit and wondered if you were interested in going for a quick ride."

Cora wore a stricken expression on her face in addition to the reddish tint that she had from her fever after hearing Mr Bricker's name and Mary couldn't quite figure out why. Her papa slightly disappointed.

Mary brushed her worry and curiosity away and focused on Mr Blake.

"Yes in fact we did know him. He came over and had admired the paintings we have," Mary said reluctantly.

"Yes we knew him but that doesn't mean we should care that he has passed," Lord Grantham said sternly ", I'm sorry I don't know what I'm saying," he added after realizing what he had said.

"How did he die?" the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet, asked moving on in the conversation.

Mr Blake ate a few mouthfuls of food (unlike everyone else who had barely touched anything but their tea) and replied, "Tony said that he died in a car accident."

"How unfortunate, he seemed nice enough," Edith said, taking a sip of tea.

"I didn't see much of him but I must agree with Lady Edith. What do you think Mary?" Branson asked.

Mary shrugged to make it seem that she couldn't care less. "I don't know, he was a visitor and nothing else."

Cora still hadn't said a word and Mary was starting to get anxious. Was her fever bothering her? Or was there something about Mr Bricker that bothered her?

"What did you think of him, Mama?" Mary asked Cora.

Cora seemed to wake up from her thoughts and looked at her eldest daughter. "He was alright," was all she said.

"He was not alright! He was a disgrace and behaved in an ungentlemanly manner!" Lord Grantham, Robert, protested.

Cora looked disapprovingly at her husband, "Robert!"

Mary glanced at her parents and decided to get back to this subject later. "A ride sounds delightful, Mr Blake," she said smiling at Mr Blake.

...

"What's with Lord Grantham's sudden burst of anger?" Mr Blake asked Lady Mary.

Mary steered her horse to the left and then glanced over to Mr Blake, "I'm not sure but I think it may have something to do with Mr Bricker. He seemed nice enough to me but maybe Papa doesn't think so. Mama didn't seem too happy either."

"I'd say," he halted his horse at the stables and got off before helping Mary off as well.

"I came to get another taste of Downton commotion and I'm glad I did."

Mary smiled at her friend, "Our family sure knows how to create a commotion."

"I'm afraid I must be going now," he said.

Mary nodded, "Make sure to send Tony and Mabel my warmest regards."

"I will," Mr Blake said and he strode away from Mary to say goodbye to the others.

...

Anna undid Mary's hairdo and tied it into a loose braid instead, it was nighttime already. "How was luncheon with Mr Blake?" she asked Lady Mary.

Mary patted her hair approvingly, "The luncheon was fine though I wish I could say the same for Mama and Papa."

"Why's that milady?" Anna asked, removing a the pearly necklace Mary had been wearing.

"They seemed upset about something," Mary shook her head quickly, "I'm sure it's nothing. Thank you Anna, that will be all."

Anna nodded and left Mary's room, closing the door behind her.

...

A shadow wavered in the hallways right in front of Cora and Robert's bedroom. It was Lady Mary.

She took a deep breath and thought her plan through.

She was going to ask her parents about Mr Bricker and find out if that was what all the fuss was about.

Then she'd find out more about this Mr Bricker and... she didn't know what to do after that.

With a sigh, Mary knocked on her parents' bedroom door.

Cora opened the door, weary eyed, "Mary, what are you doing here?"

Mary frantically thought of what to say, "I-I, wanted to...," Mary sighed, "May I come in?"


	2. Chapter 2

The Downton Ladies

Disclaimer:

Julian Fellowes created the Downton Abbey TV series and I have no ownership over any official characters, places, names, or plots that were originally from the Downton Abbey show.

Author's Note:

As you may have noticed, the first chapter of "The Downton Ladies" end with a cliffhanger. And as I have previously stated, each chapter is about one of the ladies from Downton so the cliffhanger may or may not be resolved in one of the other chapters or you may have to wait until another Lady Mary chapter is released.

Also, I apologize if I make any grammar or any other kind of mistake, just tell me in a review and I will take note.

Sorry for this long note, lets get to the story!

LADY EDITH CRAWLEY

Edith was going to her parents' room to tell them what Rose had telephoned to say: Rose was coming to visit them next week. As she got closer and closer to her parents' room, she began to hear voices.

Voices that she distinguished at her mothers' and her sisters'. Lady Edith stopped and listened as her mother let Mary go into the room.

Once she was sure that the door had closed, Edith went and put her head against her parents' room door and listened as her mother and sister spoke in hushed voices.

"Papa did _what_?_" _Mary said in a slightly loud voice after a while. Edith had been eavesdropping on them for quite some time now.

"It doesn't matter now, Mary. Your Papa is just a little irritated and that's all there is to it. Mr Bricker was only and admirer of mine and your father wasn't very happy about it. Now, it's getting late. We should both be heading to bed," Lady Grantham said and sighed.

Edith took that as her cue to leave and ran as quietly as she could back to her room. She had overheard every word Mama and Mary had said. She had always thought Mr Bricker was a fine and respectable man. The same with her father! But to get into a fight that involved physical violence made her grin slightly. The thought of Papa and old Mr Bricker getting into a violent fight was slightly amusing although she didn't quite know why she found it so.

Now that Mary had gone, Edith considered telling Mama about Rose's arrival next week but decided against it. She was already beginning to feel her eyes droop. She would tell her parents tomorrow.

With that in mind and the thought of what she had overheard, she fell asleep.

...

"Rose telephoned yesterday and said that she was coming next week," Edith informed Lord and Lady Grantham over breakfast.

"Is she really? I was almost convinced she was going to have a secret wedding and run off!" Granny, The Dowager Countess of Grantham, said.

"Why would you say that, Granny?" Edith asked.

"It does rather seem like something Rose would do," Granny said. Turning to Mama, she frowned "Cora, have you had quite enough sleep?"

"Of course I have," Mama assured her.

"I think I'll go shooting now. Have any of you seen Matthew?" Lord Grantham asked, standing up promptly.

"He's in the drawing room with Tom," Mary answered.

Lord Grantham left the room.

"It seems it's just us ladies," Mary said.

"Well we can't expect the men to take over the breakfast can we?" Mama said with a smile and patted her mouth with a napkin.

Edith finished her breakfast and got up, "I'm off for a walk in the village. I won't be long, don't wait if I don't come back before luncheon."

She left the room.

...

Edith took a deep breath of fresh air as she took a step beyond the walls of Downton. She strode through the grassy land around her home. When she glanced behind her, she spotted an odd figure lurking in the shadows near the main doors of Downton.

She started walking towards the figure but then eventually broke into a jog. When she was fairly close to the figure, she skidded to a halt.

Edith realized that it was a man from the fact that he was wearing pants and a top hat.

"Sir, can I help you?" she spoke to his back.

He turned around to face her. Edith barely got to see his face when he sprinted across the fields.

"Wait!" she called after him.

It was no use. He had left. Confused and slightly frightened, Edith decided not to go on that little trip to the village and walked back to her home to alert the others about this strange man.

...

Mr Carson opened the door for Lady Edith and she went inside the house. She walked slowly up the stairs to get changed and found her sister Lady Mary at the top of the staircase.

"Oh golly, you're back," Mary said in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I saw someone outside on my way to the village and he seemed like he had wanted to come inside. When he saw me, he left immediately."

"So he ran away like a flock sprinting geese at the sight of you?"

"I suppose," Edith said.

Mary laughed, "so he didn't think you were too good-looking?"

Annoyed, Edith pushed past her sister and went to her room.

A little while later, Anna came into the room.

"I was just bringing up some new dresses, are you back so early, milady?" Anna said.

"I saw a strange man...," Edith hesitated as not to get the same reaction from Anna than that of Mary.

"What sort of strange?" Anna said, a grin pulling at her mouth as she carefully folded a crimson dress and put it on the bed.

"He was sneaking around as if he wanted to come inside unnoticed," Edith explained, "he ran away when he saw me," she added.

Folding a emerald green velvet dress, Anna replied, "you should warn the Lord and Lady Grantham, we could be dealing with a full on criminal if we aren't careful."

Edith nodded, "you're probably right," and glanced slightly nervously out the window.


End file.
